Saturday, June 30, 2012

Audit Management


Audit management and documentation is very important. Be it internal or external. Audit documentation is a receipt to show evidence from the researches done. It is very important to audit documentations since,
  1. It really helps the future auditors
  2. It provides clear information of new audit members making people come to information that is up to date.
  3. Keeps a really good record.
  4. The accountability of the audit team can be revealed easily.
  5. It really helps the audit team during the process of auditing.

Here are some of the things you can consider in audit management.
  • Manual: There should be clear evidence of the agreed objectives. Learn to ask about absolutely anything that has been mentioned in the quality manual. In short, ensure that no table is left unturned regarding the quality manual.
  • Control documents: When checking on this, ensure that you get a clear outline of any employee within the company .You should be able to know his responsibilities, key areas, and the distribution. You can also ensure that you check the maintaining files, purchasing contracts, instructions etc. Even if the company uses the new technology of electronic formats, it is important to go through it. Get a clear picture of how external documents are controlled and so forth.
  • Controlling the records: First get to know how records are identified. Know about the responsibilities given on record storage, how accurate they are and also the destruction method they use .Get to know what method they use. Is it electronic or do they do it manually on paper?


After having all the above in mind and knowing the general view of how everything operates, it is now time to move forward and manage.
  • Commitment: It is important to first know the top the senior leaders within the company and the duties delegated. Get to know of ant written statement about improvement plans and other things.
  • Customer focus: Audit management entails evaluating on what the customer has focused on. This can be established by knowing the satisfaction rate of your customers by carrying out surveys, if the deliveries are made on time, how the communication is between the two parties and many more.
  • Responsibilities and communication-You can have a chart showing the roles and responsibilities of different employees and their various roles in the company. That is another aspect to consider in audit management. Ensure that there is consistency in all the areas of the company.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Hotel or Apartment?


In today's labor market there are many jobs where you are constantly on the move should be. A week in New York, followed by a training session in Atlanta, a conference in London, then to the meeting at company headquarters in Los Angeles and so on and so forth. Many business travelers as it were, living out of a suitcase and need to constantly change locations. For those business travelers, it is very important to feel well in the rental and to be able to concentrate.



Adapt quickly to a new atmosphere and work and live in the new environment and to which the accommodations are to the business traveler's as easy as possible. Where can thus accustom the traveler's fastest and best? What types of hotels in question come?

The latter can actually answer pretty quickly: On a trip that meets real business purposes only, it is in small pensions or family hotels, perhaps a little out of place. In order to ensure optimum working conditions for the business traveler, the clean, elegant atmosphere of business hotels and serviced apartments is certainly the better solution. But what is more suitable for that trip: a hotel or an apartment?

Advantages of Apartments
Especially for longer stays, serviced apartments are an excellent alternative to traditional business hotels. One has to speak his own empire, feels more like an apartment than a hotel room and can still enjoy the comfort of a hotel room. Who, for example, for a week or more professional needs to Atlanta, in an apartment in Atlanta is certainly better placed than soulless in a business hotel.

Benefits of Hotels
For shorter stays, hotels are probably the better alternative. Really just for frequent travelers who can stay in each case for a few days in one place, the big hotel chains are most appropriate. Whether the hotel in New York or any other major city, is the business hotel chains around the world have the same standards and have the same structure. Thus, one's acclimation to the new site much easier and you can easily feel at home and abroad.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Operational Audits


It is usually very important to review a company’s finances every year and get to know the achievements and failures and then plan and know the way forward to improvement. Operational audits are things that should be done. It is a very good way to make a falling company rise again. Listed below is a sign that shows a company is headed for a downfall.
Financial difficulties

It is usually the first sign that a company is headed for doom. If the banks or lenders decline to lend money to the company, it shows that there is even more trouble than you can imagine.

If this happens, there is remedy for it. Operational audit will take care of the problem accordingly. It is the first step to take concerning a dying company. It can really benefit the company, employers, employees and even the lender a great deal. When dealing with the audit, usually it helps us see the different sides of the company. Financial issues could not be the only ones with a problem. However, when the audit is being undertaken; no stone is left unturned since they try to get valuable information even from the grass roots. When the process is in progress, the senior people in the company are interviewed so that a clear picture may be portrayed.
Usually, if the operational audit is done strictly, the problem cause is easily unfolded. It reports can even be able to foretell the problems to be expected in future concerning the company. There are several benefits associated with the audit.
  1. It brings out the clear picture of a company bringing a fresh perspective on it.
  2. It is very helpful since it is able to know the cause and source of problem in a unique manner. It does not matter if the senior members had previously denied reliability. The truth finally gets out for everyone to see.
  3. It is able to recognize the problem at hand and also foretell other expected problems that could befall the company.
It is important to know that the report brought out from the operationalaudit might not be pleasing but at least one can easily arrest the situation since the causes of the problems have been established. A company owner might even come to realize the benefit of this and address such matters earlier to avoid reaching to extreme stages. It is easier to deal with it in such a manner.

Friday, June 22, 2012

All that you need to know about commercial mold removal


Mold can be found just about anywhere. - From the surface of bread to wet walls. Mold is not only irritating to the sight and disgusting; they also cause health hazards when people get exposed to them. A person simply getting exposed to mold is enough to get the person pretty sick. Mold often grows on surfaces that have cellulose or that get constantly wet.

Mold is something a lot of us would definitely not want to take control of our homes. This is because mold slowly eats away at the home. When mold appears, you need to take an aggressive action against it before it does permanent damage to the home or health of the people in the home.

For those big corporate places and workplaces, one should turn to commercial mold removal companies. They possess a team who specialize in mold removal and prevention. The problem is severe and it should be immediately taken care of. One can only imagine the hazardous problems these molds can produce. The first symptom of having household fungus is having musty doors. If there is a musty door in the house there laid the terror hidden. The symptoms that the human beings would get is having dry cough, burning eyes and skin rashes.

Commercial mold removal team deals with garments, business agencies, government agencies, and industries of any kind. Their clients are vast and they never compromise on their quality. They would process in three different steps, inspecting, testing and then the removal process. The team is specialized and they put on their special gear like goggles, gloves, safety breathing masks so that they remain safe while they get rid of those unwanted creatures. As they are highly trained to pretend the spreading of those molds, eventually the house becomes mold free and safe for a better living. These black mold can cause serious trouble and black mold clean up is very much necessary to avoid unwanted diseases. They offer a good healthy environment where people can work freely and concentrate only on their works. They are highly trained and they do their job efficiently. They deal with all sorts of clients, be it a school or an industry, they put in the equal amount of effort in their duties and they always promise the best services. Another best attribute of them is that they are available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

Making Business Travel Better


I have to travel a fair bit in my line of work and one of the things that really infuriates me is when flights are delayed. It is especially annoying when I have to make a connecting flight, or when the same flight is delayed over and over again. I actually didn't realize until recently that particular flight numbers are more prone to delays than others. I am always booking my flights at the last minute, so it's not that common for me to be on the same flight on a weekly basis. However, I recently discovered an online flight status tool and it led me to some interesting conclusions.

As well as allowing me to check the status of a flight to see if it is delayed or not, I can look at a flight's history. I gathered up a pile of my old flight details and ran them through the tool. It emerged that almost every time I had experienced more than minor delays it was on a particular flight number on a Tuesday morning. Now that I know that this flight is prone to longer delays, I have kept note of the flight number and departure time, and I am making sure I do not book onto that flight in future! Funnily enough, there is a flight that leaves an hour later with a different airline which is almost always on time! I'll stick with those guys from now on.

I have also forwarded a link to the tool to my wife and my secretary, so that they can check my arrival times in order to pick me up or rearrange my schedule as necessary. I just wish I had found out about the status checker sooner, it would have made my life so much easier!



Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Commercial Mold Removal Services


When your premises or office gets infested with molds, then a serious problem is in the offing and you urgently need commercial mold removal to prevent serious implications. Why do I say serious? Well, it is well known that molds produce spores that are suspended in the air and will be inhaled by the occupants of the room with potential disastrous effects. You surely don’t want a sick workforce, do you? Then you cannot joke around with a moldy workplace. Molds are known to cause serious respiratory problems and skin irritations in addition to triggering asthma attacks. They will also produce odors that are not pleasant as well destroy the aesthetics of the premises.

Whether the mold growth is as a result of leaky pipes or a result of a flood, when you are in need of commercial mold removal, you require obtaining the best services that will ensure your problem is conclusively dealt with. That is where the experts come in; they will carry out the mold removal services owing to their professional approach to the problem.

Understanding the seriousness of the risk that mold pose to you and your clients, will ensure that you choose only technicians who are well trained in the field. This way, you can ensure that the mold removal is carried out in a way that is safe for both your clients and your staff. During commercial mold removal trained technicians use a vacuuming machine that applies a technology that traps up to 99% of all the spores and prevents escape into the air. The room is also sealed off to ensure no spores escape to other rooms as this would cause harm to the occupants and may also germinate on landing of damp surfaces. The process will also involve the application of antimicrobial chemicals that kill the remaining spores and prevent future germination of any spores (it is worth remembering that mold spores will always be suspended in the air)

Once the mold removal has been done the experts should then embark on solving the moisture problem (No mold spore germination and growth can occur without damp conditions). The must establish the cause of the dampness and ensure repair is done to maintain dry conditions and prevent any future spore germination. They should also handle any building materials that may require to be removed to ensure complete mold removal.


Monday, June 18, 2012

Devising Your Risk-based Internal Audit Process


If you are anything like the majority of auditors in the industry, then you will know that when it comes to devising a new risk-based internal audit process it can seem like a fairly daunting task. Creating internal audit procedures which are not only effective, but which meet with the boss's approval can take years to perfect. The good news is that it is about to get easier! You are not alone in your quest and many auditors before you have trodden this path and are now allowing you to benefit from their experiences and the lessons they have learned from their mistakes over the years. They do this in the form of internal auditing software devised to take the strain out of the internal auditing process. This type of software will allow you to have an effective framework at your fingertips which allows you to build an effective risk-based internal audit procedure for your company.


The majority of internal auditing software will provide a basic framework based on the general purposes and objective of audit based work. These might include:

  • Tools which allow you to both understand and document the processes and procedures of the department under internal audit.
  • A template for clearly defining the objectives of that department.
  • The opportunity to define risks and threats to the department's ability to achieve their objectives.
  • Reporting which allows a clearer understanding of the controls already in place to control risk, which in turn will pinpoint any weaknesses.
  • The ability to both monitor and report efforts made to control weaknesses moving forward from the initial audit.

All of these basic steps are generally able to be categorized in one of 4 ways : planning, fieldwork, reporting or follow up. Using internal auditing software allows you to combine these four areas of the auditing process seamlessly for the most effective results. Using, auditing software allows you to produce consistent, high quality audit work without the need to develop an internal audit procedure from scratch, thus freeing up your time and allowing for a much more efficient process. With the help of an internal audit program, you will soon be on the path to evaluating objectives and managing risks effectively with the minimal amount of error or disruption to day to day procedures. Why not start looking for an appropriate auditing program today and start the journey to superior performance without delay.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

When Your Business Is Hit By Emergency


There are a lot of things which can be cause for concern when you run your own business. Cash flow, Staffing, Clients, the list is endless. One thing we never really think about is the potential consequences of a flood in our business premises. Considering the fact that flooding is one of the most common types of natural disaster experienced in the United States. It is really important that we not only consider the consequences of flooding and ensure we are properly insured, but also that we know what to do in the event of a flood.

Here are some tips for staying safe in a flood:
  • Keep a battery powered radio tuned to the local station so that you will be able to here news reports and any emergency instructions being issued.
  • If your premises are flooded, and it is safe to do so, then move to higher ground.
  • If you are inside the premises and flood waters are rising, move to a higher floor, or the roof. Take a flash light, radio and any extra clothing you have access to.
  • If it is safe to do so and you have been advised to evacuate try to take water and food with you.
  • If you are in a car, truck or other company vehicle do not drive through flooded roads – it takes only a couple of feet of water to sweep a truck off road.
  • If your vehicle stalls, abandon it immediately and get to higher ground on foot. Flood water may rise rapidly within the car.
  • When travelling on foot remember that flood water is very deceptive so do not try to walk through water which is higher than knee deep.